Bank fortification



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,365

A. G. SCHWARTZ BANK FORTIFICATION Filed 001;. 24. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Nov. 8, 192?.

ears-r ANDREW enonen scnwan'r z; or onioaeo, rLLrivors;

This invention relates to bani: fortifications and has for its object the provision of a fortified tower which is so positioned in and associated with the usual bank cage as to command a maximum amount of floor space of the bank.

This invention is not limited for use in banks but also may be used to protect any business transactions which would normally be exposed to banditry.

It is also. an importantobject of this invention to provide a fortification which affords a maximum of defense for the guard or person retreating therein and which also affords a. maximum amount of oflensive means whereby said guard or person may rout any unlawful assailants.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accomp anying drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more. fully discussed. On the drawings:

. Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showthe generalarrangement of the device embodying this invention, with a bank.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a: fragmentary rear elevati'onal view of the same.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary'vertical section with parts omitted, IVIV of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail fragmentary I taken at the line vertical sectionalview with parts omitted, showing the releasable catch for holding the tower window partly open.

Figure 6 is a reduced fragmentary detail horizontal section taken at the line VIVI of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal section with parts omitted VII'VII of Figure 1.

taken at the line Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section with parts omitted VIIIVIII of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged tion with parts omitted IX-JX' of Figure 4.

taken at the line horizontal sectaken at the line Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail vertical section taken at the line XX of Figure 9.

" Figure 11 is an enlarged detail fraginentary Vertical section XI-XI of Figure 9.

taken at the line Application filed October 24,1825. Serial no. 64,491.

Figure12 is a fragmentary vertical section of the tower, showing a modification. As shown on-the drawings: This invention comprises a fortified tower 1 which is situated midway out of a bank cage 2, or the'like', which it is desirous of protection. Surrounding the outer half of a tower l and spaced therefrom a suitable distance is a semi-circular railing 3 which extendsto the cage 2 on either side of said tower. .An entrance to the tower 1, as will be later described, is in the rear of the cage 2 and is protected from lateral lire by rear wardly extending panels 1 and 5 on either side of said tower. The tower 1 is of steel and is of a. thickness which is sullicient to resist or prevent penetration of revolver or rifle bullets therethrough.- The tower being round, itisniore' capable of turning aside any'bullets which may be directed against the sides thereof.

n11 arcuate observation opening 6 is cut out of the'front of the tower 1 and isprotected' by a series of vertical bars. arranged across said opening on the exterior thereof and secured to said'tower. An 'arc uate closure 8 of slightly larger area than the opening {Sand concentric withthe tower is vertically slidable in guides 9 mounted in v the interior of the tower. along the vertical edges of said closure. The closure 8-is provided with a horizontal inwardly extending flange 9 at thelower edge thereof-to which is secured a pair of horizontally spaced downwardly extending guide rods 10 slidable in brackets ll-secure'd to the interior of the tower. pressed between the respective brackets 11 and flange S are compression springs-12." A pivoted hook- 13 is mounted nearthe upper inner edge ofthe closure 8 for engagement with a bolt 1 1 secured tothe towerfonhOlding said closurein an upwardly closed position. .A. pair of weights 15 connected to respective cords 16 are mounted over pulleys 17 rotatably secured to the inner side of the tower and are connected to the opposite sides of the closure 8 for assisting the springs 12 V will be seen 7 Surrouudingthe rodsv 10 and com-- tion of the tower is provided'with a' series 7 l f 24 secured to said rods and the brackets22.

of horizontal arcuate slotsin which are mounted horizontally extending diverging nozzles 19 which with said slots form loopholes. l/Vithin the tower are vertically slidable rods 20. The rods 20 are adapted to slide in upper and lower brackets 21 and 22 respectively and are normally held in upward position by springs 23 surrounding said rods. The springs 23 are normally compressed between inwardly extending handles The handles 24 normally abut the upper brackets 21 and act as stops to limit the vertical movement of the rods 20. WVhen the rods are in normal upward position, they are adapted to close the loop-holes formed by the vertical apertures in which are mounted the nozzles 18. When it is desired to open the loop-hole to fire out of the nozzles 18 itis merely necessary to press the handles 24 downwardly. Upon releasing the handles 24, their respective apertures will immediately be closed by action of the springs 23.

A suitable arcuate writing desk 25 is pro- 7 vided within the tower which may be used asa-step or, platform from which to fire out of the loop-holes comprising the nozzles 19 and slots therefor.

v A bell crank lever 26 pivotally mounted within the forward side of the tower is provided with a hook 27 on the upper arm thereof which is normally held in vertical position agalnst a stop 28 by means of a spring 29, the latter being secured with one .end to said arm and the otherend to the side of the tower. The otherarm of the lever26 is substantially horizontal and is connected through a cord 30. to an arcuate 40 plate 31. The flange 9* of the closure 8 is provided with a notch 32 which is adapted videdat its upper end with a locking lug 35.

The lever 34 is provided with a suitable spring for normally holding. the lug 35 to the left as shown in Figure 5 for engagement in any one of a vertically arranged series of notches. 36 in the edge of the closure 8. The lever 34 is provided with a substantiallyhorizontal arm which is connected througha cord 37 to the, plate 31. If the closure 8 is open as .far as possible, it will normally be held open by the hook 27 of the bell crank lever 26. Ifit is only desired to holes including the nozzles 19 or 43.

or in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

A conical steel roof 38 is secured to the top of the tower at the inner edges thereof through flanges 39.

The rear side of the tower as shown in Figure 3 is provided with a pair of vertical outwardly swung. doors 40 and 41. The doors 40 and 41 are normally held in inwardly closed position by powerful springs 42. Each of the doors 40and 41 is provided with a loop-hole comprising a vertical slot and vertically extending diverging nozzle 42 therein similar to the ,nozzles 18.v The latter nozzles and slots associated therewith are provided with automatic. closures similar to the rods 20 and parts associated therewith. Each ofthe doors 40 and 41 is also provided with a loop-hole comprising a horizontal upper aperture and horizontally extending diverging nozzle, 43 similar to the nozzles 19. The nozzles 19 and 43 are arranged with their upper and lower edges in substantially the same horizontal plane. A'

cylindrical ring 44 is mounted within the tower above the closure 8 and extends to the inner periphery of said tower. I The ring 44 is adapted to rotate on rollers 45 secured to and spaced about the inner periphery of the tower and may be rotated about, said rollers for selectively registering a horizontal slot 46 in said ring with any one of the loop- A bracket 47 is secured to the ring 44 adjacent the lower edge of the slot 46 for supporting a shooting iron thereon. A suitable handle 48'is secured to thelringv44 for facilitating the rotation of said ring for selectively positioning the slot 46. The r1ng44is provided with a pair of hinged sections 49 and 50 which normally extend across the opening between the outer edges of the doors 40 and 41 and which may be folded to the left. to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7 so that when the doors are in open position, the ring 44 will notobstruct the passage therethrough. In normal position, the closure 8 is pressed downwardly in either partly open position or fully-open position and held by either the lever 34 or the lever 26, as the case may be.

The doors .40 and 41are-normally in openly swung position as indicated in dotted lines of Figure 9. Thedoors 40 and 41 are held in open position by means of stops or trips 51 and 52. The stops 51; and52 each consists essentiall of a vertically slidable lug member mounted in abase 53 and normally held in upward position for engagement with the lower edge of its respective doorby I through a the further side thereof.

means of a spring 54 held within said base beneath the bottom of said lug by a threaded:

nut 55 screwed in said base. The nut 55 is a-pert-ured to receive therethrough a tension transmitting means such as cord56 which is secured to the bottom of the lug and which passes over a pulley 57 mounted within saidbase Each of the cords 56 from the lugs 51 and 52 passes over a horizontal roller 58 and enters the tower at the rear thereof through a suitable aperture and is connected ported in said base by a nut 63 threaded in the bottom of said base. A diametrical pin 64 extends through the lower portion of the plunger 59through the slots 61 and limits the upward vertical movementv of said lun 'er b r the sarin 62. Secured on each VP :3 3 l as end of the pin .64 is a bracket 65 and 66 respectively which pivotally support theupper ends of links 67 and 68. The lower ends of each of the links 67 and'68 are provlded with a suitable cam surface so that when 'the plunger 59 is forced downwardly, said lower ends will cam outwardly causing the links to assume a dotted line position shown in Figure 11. Referring now to Figure 9,

the cords 56 fromthe stops 51 and 52 are joined together within the tower and ;con nected to a single cord 69 which extends suitable horizontal aperture through the bottom of the base 60 and is secured to the lower end of the link 68 on A cord is secured'beneath' the plate 31, passes over a pulley 71, horizontally mounted in a bracket 7 2 secured to the bottom of thetower and thence passes through the horizontal aperture through the bottonrof the base 60 and is secured to. the lower end of the link 67. Thus when the plunger 59 is forced downwardly, the lower ends of the links 67 and :68 will move outward-1y, pulling the cords 70 and 69 respectively for actuating the stops 51 and 52 to automatically close the doors 40 and 41. and to actuate the plate 31 downwardly for tripping either the lever 26 or the lever 34 to automatically close the closure 8. A mega-phone or alarm signal 70 is provided on the tower. I r

In Figure 12 is shown a modification wherein the tower in order to facilitate and simplify construction is made of two sections, an upper section 71 and lower section 72 which are separated or oined by arlng 7 3 which is provided with an inner flange and respectively. The ring 73 is 74 atv its upper and lower inner edges 74 provided with a'series of loop-holes and nozzles therefor 76 spaced about the periphery of said ring. In'this modification the inner rotatable ring 77 is similarto the-inner ring 44in the previous embodiment with the ex ception that it is of slightly smaller diameter, being inside of the flanges 74 and 75 and it is not provided with the hinged sections such as the sections 45} and 50 be-. cause, in this modification the doors 40 and 41'would not come up as high as in the previous modification.

Operator/. 111 case of attack, a guard duty about the tower either as a guard orin any capacity may retreat: into the tower, press the plunger '59 downwardly by stepping on the head thereof for automatically, closing the doors 40 and 41 and the front closure 8; The. sections 49 and 50 may be folded into operative position and the ring 44 rotated to open; any of the loop-holes leading to the nozzlesv 1901* 43 .to permit shots to be fired through said loop-holes at the attacking force. 'The catch 13 may be thrown over the bolt 14 to insure against any one, forcing the closure 8 downwardly from without. The desk 25;ma.y be used as a. platform from whichto fire'out of the nozzles 19. A person .in the tower may fire out of the loop-holes and nozzles 18 or 42 previously described by grasping the handles 24 and forcing the rods'20 downwardly to uncover thelinner ends of said loopholes. As soon as the handles 24 are let go,the loop-holeskvill be automatically closed thus preventing any one firing back into the same from without thetower. The ring. 44' will prevent any one from shooting a man in the tower through any of'the loop-holes and nozzles therefor 19 or 43 while said man is looking out of another one ofsaid loop-holes. The tower 1 may advantageously used for many purposes such as an outpost or guard house for a military post ora guard house for prisons or the like, without departing from the spirit .of this invention.

1 am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from theprinciples of this invention, and 'I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

1 claim'as my invention: 1. A device of the character described com- 7 prising a bullet proof tower having an entrance openingand an observation opening therein, closures for said openings normally in open position, and meansfor releasingsaid closures instantaneously. v

2. A device of the character described comprising a bullet proof tower having an no duly stationed in the tower or any one, on

opening therein, a slidable closure therefor, means acting to close said closure, a releasable catch for holding said closure open against said means, and a substantially centrally positioned mechanism in said tower for releasing said Catch.

3. 'A device of the character described com- 7 risin a bullet roof tower havin a aluralityof loop holes therein arranged about the periphery thereof, and unitary means for selectively closing all but one of said loop holes.

t. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical bullet proof tower having a plurality of loop holes therein arranged about the periphery of said tower, a rotatable cylindrical member mounted within said tower adjacent said loop holes, said cylindrical member'having an aperture therein adapted to selectively register with any one of said loop holes. I v a 5 A deviceof the-character described com prising a bullet proof tower having a plurality of loop holes arranged about the periphery ofsaid tower, outwardly extending diverging nozzles on saidltower communicating with said loop holes, a shooting-iron support, a movable mount therefor for selectively moving said support adjacent any one of a said loop holes.

'6. A device of the character described comprising a bullet proof tower having an entrance opening therein for retreat there through, swingable means for closing said opening, closing means for said swingable means, releasable catch means for holding saidfswingable means open against the action of said closing means, and a conveniently positionedimechanism in said tower for releasing said catch means.

7. A device of the character described comprising abullet proof tower, a plurality of loop holes arranged about the periphery thereof, and a movable member adapted to be selectively positioned in said tower for selectively closing simultaneously all but one of said loop holes. 7

8. A device of the character described comprising a bullet proof tower, a plurality of loop holes thereiniarranged about the pebut one of said loop holes, said tower have ing a plurality of additional loop holes therein, closures for the inner end of said additionalloop holes, spring means acting to normally hold said latter closures in closed position and means for manually withdrawing said latter closuresagainst the action of said spring means.

10. In a tower having an entrance opening, hinged closures for said opening, re-

silient means associated with said closures to normally urge said closures over said opening, stops for selectively malntaining said closures removed from said opening, and

controlling means within said tower, opera-- tively connected to said stops.

11. In a tower having an entrance opening, hinged closures for said opening, resilient means associatedwith said'closures to normally urge saidclosures over said opening,

stops for selectively maintaining said clo sures removed from said opening, controlling means within said tower, operatively connected to said stops, said controlling means comprising a reciprocal plunger,' pivotal arms associated with said plunger, tension transmitting means connecting said stops and arms, and spring means for normally maintaining said stops and plunger in an operative position. i a 1 In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ANDREW eaonsn SCHWARTZ. 

